Bicycle shoulder-brace



(No Model.)

D. T. SINGLETON. BICYCLE SHOULDER BRAGB.

Patented Mar. 29, 1898.

W/ TNE SSE S A TTOHNE Y S.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT @Prien DAVID T. SINGLETON, OF WILLARD, GEORGIA.

BICYCLE SHOULDER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,530, dated March 29, 1898.

Application filed March 3 l 1 8 97.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID T. SINGLETON, of VWillard, in the county of Putnam and State of Georgia,have invented anew and Improved Bicycle Shoulder-Brace, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a shoulder-brace for bicycles, or a device intended to be used to enable the rider to apply a greater force to the pedals than that due to his own weight.

It consists of certain improvementswhich enable the device to be quickly cast off, if desired, and of certain improvements by which the weight of the device and its cost may be reduced to a minimum.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle and rider, showing my device in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of my device detached from the rider and bicycle; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the upper portion of my device.

My device has two hooks A, which are provided upon their under surfaces with pads A', so as to` make the contact thereof with the shoulders less disagreeable than it would otherwise be. These hooks are made longer at one end than the other, the longer end being used to make the attachment to-the bicycleframe. These longer ends of the device are so arranged as to come in front of the body of the rider, and to these longer ends the bars B are attached. These bars have an angular bend in their center and ahorizontal section which is provided with slots b', adapted to receive clamping bolts b. The horizontal section B of one of these bars is made so that its edges overlap and engage the horizontal section B2 of the other bar. This construction is clearly shown in Fig. 3, and provides for a horizontal adjustment of the hooks A and permits of such an adjustment as best suits the user. To each of the bars B is attached a bar or strip C, which is also attached vto a plate D. This section C may be made sem-n no. 630,146. (naman.)

either as a metal bar or as a strap. It should be so connected both to the bars B and the plate D as to have a swing sufficient to adjust itself to the different distances necessary between its attachments to the bars B, which will vary as the hooks A are moved to or from each other. A hook d is attached to the plate D and is adapted to receive a ring e., fastened in the upper end of a strap made in two sections E and E, Which are adjustable upon each other by a buckle in the usual way. To the lower end of this strap is connected a spring-hook F, which is adapted to be fastened to the ring G, connected with a clamp consisting of two members II and H', pivoted to each other at h and adapted to embrace the upper horizontal bar of a bicycle-frame. The clamp is secured on said bar by a clamping-bolt J, passing through both sections of the clamp.

In using my device the hooks A are placed over the riders shoulders and the clamp H secured to the horizontal bar of the bicycle in front of the saddle. These two are then connected by the strap E E', which has been adjusted to such a length as to accommodate the rider.

This device enables the rider to exert as much pressure upon the pedals as he is able without straining the arms by lifting upon the handle-bars, and will thus facilitate mounting hills and any other work where a heavy pressure is desired upon the pedals. In case of emergency the device may be readily cast off by throwing the hooks A off the shoulders, and this may also be done by casting the ring c off the hook d. The device is not attached to the rider in such a way but that he may be very quickly freed therefrom,

and it is thus not as likely to cause accident as devices which are more permanently secured to the rider.

The rigid connection formed by the two suit different people.. The clamps II H may be adjusted to any position upon the upper bar of the bicycle-frame to correspond with the necessities of different figures. Those IOO with corpulent figures will require it farther forward than others and this adjustment may be quickly made.

Having thus described my invention', I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A bicycle shoulder-brace comprising two hooks for the shoulders, bars horizontally adjustable upon each other, attached to the front ends of the hooks, and a connector leading from the bars to the frame of the bicycle, substantially as described.

2. A bicycle shoulder-brace comprising two hooks for the shoulders, bars horizontally adinstable upon each other, attached to the front ends of the hooks, a hook, connections therefrom to each of the ad justable bars, and a connection between said hook and the bicycle-frame, substantially as described.

V3. A bicycle shoulder-brace comprising two hooks for the shoulders, bars horizontally adjustable upon each other attached to the front ends thereof, a clamp attachable to the bicycle-fraine,` a ring fixed thereto, and a strip connecting said ring with the shoulder-hooks, substantially as described.

- 4f. A bicycle shoulder-brace comprising two hooks extending over the shoulders, bars horizontally adjustable upon each other at-l tached to the front ends thereof, means for clamping said bars together, a hook, connections therefrom to each of the adj nstable bars, a clamp attachable to the bicycle-frame, and a strip connecting said clamp and hook, substantially as described.

DAVID T. siNeLnroN.

Vitnesses: I

W. M. DENNIS, J. L. WILSON. 

